Medium severity6.5OSV Advisory· Published Apr 1, 2021· Updated Jun 17, 2026
CVE-2021-20291
CVE-2021-20291
Description
A deadlock vulnerability was found in 'github.com/containers/storage' in versions before 1.28.1. When a container image is processed, each layer is unpacked using tar. If one of those layers is not a valid tar archive this causes an error leading to an unexpected situation where the code indefinitely waits for the tar unpacked stream, which never finishes. An attacker could use this vulnerability to craft a malicious image, which when downloaded and stored by an application using containers/storage, would then cause a deadlock leading to a Denial of Service (DoS).
AI Insight
LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.
Affected packages
Versions sourced from the GitHub Security Advisory.
| Package | Affected versions | Patched versions |
|---|---|---|
github.com/containers/storageGo | < 1.28.1 | 1.28.1 |
Affected products
51- Range: V1.2, v1, v1.1, …
- ghsa-coords50 versionspkg:golang/github.com/containers/storagepkg:rpm/almalinux/buildahpkg:rpm/almalinux/buildah-testspkg:rpm/almalinux/critpkg:rpm/almalinux/criupkg:rpm/almalinux/criu-develpkg:rpm/almalinux/criu-libspkg:rpm/almalinux/libslirppkg:rpm/almalinux/libslirp-develpkg:rpm/almalinux/oci-seccomp-bpf-hookpkg:rpm/almalinux/podmanpkg:rpm/almalinux/podman-dockerpkg:rpm/almalinux/podman-gvproxypkg:rpm/almalinux/podman-pluginspkg:rpm/almalinux/podman-remotepkg:rpm/almalinux/podman-testspkg:rpm/almalinux/python3-criupkg:rpm/almalinux/skopeopkg:rpm/almalinux/skopeo-testspkg:rpm/almalinux/slirp4netnspkg:rpm/almalinux/toolboxpkg:rpm/almalinux/toolbox-testspkg:rpm/opensuse/conmon&distro=openSUSE%20Leap%2015.3pkg:rpm/opensuse/libcontainers-common&distro=openSUSE%20Leap%2015.3pkg:rpm/opensuse/libcontainers-common&distro=openSUSE%20Tumbleweedpkg:rpm/opensuse/libseccomp&distro=openSUSE%20Leap%2015.3pkg:rpm/opensuse/podman&distro=openSUSE%20Leap%2015.3pkg:rpm/suse/conmon&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Micro%205.1pkg:rpm/suse/conmon&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Module%20for%20Containers%2015%20SP3pkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Enterprise%20Storage%206pkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Enterprise%20Storage%207pkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP1-ESPOSpkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP1-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP2-ESPOSpkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20High%20Performance%20Computing%2015%20SP2-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Micro%205.1pkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Module%20for%20Basesystem%2015%20SP3pkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2015%20SP1-BCLpkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2015%20SP1-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2015%20SP2-BCLpkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%2015%20SP2-LTSSpkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%20for%20SAP%20Applications%2015%20SP1pkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Server%20for%20SAP%20Applications%2015%20SP2pkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Manager%20Proxy%204.1pkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Manager%20Retail%20Branch%20Server%204.1pkg:rpm/suse/libcontainers-common&distro=SUSE%20Manager%20Server%204.1pkg:rpm/suse/libseccomp&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Micro%205.1pkg:rpm/suse/libseccomp&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Module%20for%20Basesystem%2015%20SP3pkg:rpm/suse/podman&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Micro%205.1pkg:rpm/suse/podman&distro=SUSE%20Linux%20Enterprise%20Module%20for%20Containers%2015%20SP3
< 1.28.1+ 49 more
- (no CPE)range: < 1.28.1
- (no CPE)range: < 1:1.27.0-2.el9
- (no CPE)range: < 1:1.27.0-2.el9
- (no CPE)range: < 3.15-3.module_el8.6.0+2751+06427ca3
- (no CPE)range: < 3.15-3.module_el8.5.0+2613+1b78b731
- (no CPE)range: < 3.15-3.module_el8.6.0+2751+06427ca3
- (no CPE)range: < 3.15-3.module_el8.5.0+2613+1b78b731
- (no CPE)range: < 4.4.0-1.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5
- (no CPE)range: < 4.4.0-1.module_el8.5.0+2613+1b78b731
- (no CPE)range: < 1.2.3-3.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5
- (no CPE)range: < 2:4.2.0-3.el9
- (no CPE)range: < 2:4.2.0-3.el9
- (no CPE)range: < 2:4.2.0-3.el9
- (no CPE)range: < 2:4.2.0-3.el9
- (no CPE)range: < 2:4.2.0-3.el9
- (no CPE)range: < 2:4.2.0-3.el9
- (no CPE)range: < 3.15-3.module_el8.5.0+2613+1b78b731
- (no CPE)range: < 2:1.9.2-1.el9
- (no CPE)range: < 2:1.9.2-1.el9
- (no CPE)range: < 1.1.8-1.module_el8.6.0+2876+9ed4eae2
- (no CPE)range: < 0.0.99.3-0.4.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5
- (no CPE)range: < 0.0.99.3-0.4.module_el8.5.0+2613+1b78b731
- (no CPE)range: < 2.0.30-150300.8.3.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150300.8.3.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-7.1
- (no CPE)range: < 2.5.3-150300.10.5.1
- (no CPE)range: < 3.4.4-150300.9.3.2
- (no CPE)range: < 2.0.30-150300.8.3.1
- (no CPE)range: < 2.0.30-150300.8.3.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150300.8.3.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150300.8.3.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 20210626-150100.3.15.1
- (no CPE)range: < 2.5.3-150300.10.5.1
- (no CPE)range: < 2.5.3-150300.10.5.1
- (no CPE)range: < 3.4.4-150300.9.3.2
- (no CPE)range: < 3.4.4-150300.9.3.2
Patches
Vulnerability mechanics
References
16- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cginvdIssue TrackingPatchThird Party AdvisoryWEB
- unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/cve-2021-20291/nvdExploitThird Party Advisory
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-7qw8-847f-pggmghsaADVISORY
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20291ghsaADVISORY
- github.com/containers/storage/commit/306fcabc964470e4b3b87a43a8f6b7d698209ee1ghsaWEB
- github.com/containers/storage/pull/860ghsaWEB
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/R5D7XL7FL24TWFMGQ3K2S72EOUSLZMKLghsaWEB
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/SPYOHNG2Q7DCAQZMGYLMENLKALGDLG3XghsaWEB
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/WX24EITRXVHDM5M223BVTJA2ODF2FSHIghsaWEB
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/ZNMB7O2UIXE34PGSCSOULGHPX5LIJBMMghsaWEB
- pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2021-0100ghsaWEB
- unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/cve-2021-20291ghsaWEB
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/R5D7XL7FL24TWFMGQ3K2S72EOUSLZMKL/nvd
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/SPYOHNG2Q7DCAQZMGYLMENLKALGDLG3X/nvd
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/WX24EITRXVHDM5M223BVTJA2ODF2FSHI/nvd
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/ZNMB7O2UIXE34PGSCSOULGHPX5LIJBMM/nvd
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